Electric lighting fixture and the like



Aug. 17, 1943.

J. TERR ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 17, 1943. J. TERR 2,326,898

ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @977W HMM( ffm QT/zgg Patented Aug. 17, 1943 ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE AND THE LIKE Joseph Terr, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 16, 1940, Serial No. 370,287

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electric lighting fixtures and the like.

At present there are in use simple lighting xtures commonly known as beam light and diop cord fixtures. The former in their simplest form are electrical sockets attached directly to a ceiling and support an incandescent lamp, while'the latter are substantially the same type of sockets suspended at a desirable level below the ceiling, by a cord. chain or rigid tube. Such fixtures ai'e generally unsightly, produce considerable glare and distribute light very poorly. Particularly, is their use undesirable for residential installations where good lighting and decorative qualities harmonizing with the surrounding furnishings are highly desirable.

All fixtures and luminaires in use catch dust and foreign matter and thereby have their efficiency in light distribution materially reduced. Provision for ready accessibility to all parts of the fixture for maintenance and cleaning is therefore an important factor that merits consideration in the design and construction of the fixture.

More specifically my invention relates to beam light and "drop cord" types of fixtures, hereinbefore described, and provides a safe and expedient means for mounting an outer shade in combination with a diffuser to eliminate objectionable glare and to achieve high efficiency in light distribution for comfortable vision.

In accordance with the foregoing, it is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a fixture which may be independently suspended from a ceiling as a permanent fixture or may be very readily applied to a beam light" or drop cord type of fixture and which when so applied serves to convert same into a xture having desirable qualities of light distribution.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a fixture which lends itself to decorative treatment for harmony with the surrounding furnishings.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a fixture of the character described which is readily accessible for maintenance and cleaning.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view partly in section of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a detail of construction of the embodiment shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view partly in cross section of a modified embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a detail of construction of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view partly in cross section of another modified embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of same.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a detail of construction of the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates, generally, an adaptor socket of coriventional design. Said socket comprises two separable sections II and I2 in threaded engagement with each other, each section having a shoulder I4 which normally is in abutting relation with the shoulder of the other section. The adaptor socket Ill above described does not constitute part of my invention, but merely serves as a convenient means by which my improved adaptor fixture may be applied to a beam light" or drop cord" type of fixture.

It is to be understood that other means may be employed to secure my improved fixture to an existing drop cord or beam light type 'of xture and that my improved fixture may be independently suspended from a ceiling, as in an original installation where there are no existing fixtures of the character described.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the preferred form of my adaptor fixture comprises a circular disk I6 having a central aperture I'I and being adapted for securement between shoulders I4 of the separable sections II and I2. A plurality of equally spaced wire members I9, shaped substantially as shown, are suitably secured, as by welding, to the disk I6. Each of the members I9 has a horizontally directed arm 20 and a resilient depending arm 2| which terminates in a hook 22 to provide a clip-on support for the diffusing member 24 which may be made of translucent or opaque material.

As will be seen from the drawings, the diffusing member 24 is adequately supported and may very readily be removed and replaced, merely by flexing any of the arms 2| out of engagement therewith. A ring 26 is secured to the terminal portions of the horizontal arms and forms the upper frame member for the shade 21 which may be transparent or opaque in character as desired.

The embodiment of my invention above described forms a light weight unitary structure which is very readily applied to a fixture, the application merely requiring a separation of the sections Il and I2 of the adaptor socket l0, fitting the apertured disk I6 over the male section thereof and re-securing the sections in threaded engagement.

In the modified embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the husk or shell indicated generally by the numeral 28 is used in place of the disk IB, previously described with reference to Fig. l. The husk 28 is turned inwardly at one edge to form a shoulder 29 and a central aperture 38, the other edge 3l being turned outwardly and being horizontally directed. A plurality of wire members 32, shaped substantially as shown, are suitably secured, as by welding, to the edge 3| of the husk 28. Each of the members 32 has a resilient depending arm 34 terminating in a hook 35 and a horizontally directed arm 36 terminating in a substantially U shaped portion 31. A wire ring 38 is secured to the U shaped portions 31 and provides structural rigidity for the arms 38 which radiate from the husk 28. A diiiusing member 40 is supported in clip-on arrangement by the hooks 35 of the depending arms 34.

A shade 39 is formed preferably of rigid material such as metal or plastics and is provided at the top thereof with an annular inverted channel 4| which is adapted to engage U shaped portions 31 of the arms 36 when the shade is supported thereon. The channel 4l, as shown, is integral with the wall of the shade 39 but is set back from the edge thereof to provide a shoulder 43 for supporting an ornamental annular member 44. In this construction the shade 39 is removably supported and may be interchanged with other shades having similar supporting structures. This embodiment is designed for use with the type of adaptor socket previously described and the manner of securement thereto is obvious.

Figures 5 to '1 illustrate another modified embodiment of my invention.

Referring particularly to Figures 5 to '1 inclusive, a husk or shell 46 is formed of a cylindrical member and has, at one end, an inwardly directed edge 41 and a central aperture 48. The top portion of the husk 46 is set back to provide a shoulder 50 for supporting a decorative collar 5l which enhances the appearance of the xture and conceals the socket of the originally installed xture.

A plurality of wire members 53 shaped identically With the members I9 shown in Fig. l are spacedly secured to the cylindrical wall of the husk 46. The depending legs 54 of the members 53 secure a diffusing member 56, as previously described, and the horizo-ntally and radially di rected arms 51 carry a ring 58 which is secured thereon and which in addition to providing structural rigidity serves to carry a shade 59, as will be presently described.

The shade 59 may be formed with a wire frame in the conventional manner. A plurality of iniii) wardly directed hook elements 60 are spacedly arranged so as to engage the ring 58 and so removably support the shade thereon.

The diffusing member provides for distribution of light without glare and may consist either of a dished plate or a cup translucent or opaque in character as desired. It will be understood that when a cup is used the depending arms musi-l be of shorter length in order to accommodate the cup and support it in proper relation to the shade. The dusing member is very readily re moved without disturbing the rest of the fixture and thereby provides easy accessibility for cleaning or replacing a lamp bulb.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a fixture which has highly desirable qualities of light distribution, which is readily accessible for cleaning or maintenance and which may be applied to an existing lighting fixture or may be suspended as an original installation.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention, herewith shown and described, are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fixture of the character described comprising a husk, means for suspending said husk, a. plurality of arms depending from the lower edge of said husk and arranged to support a light diffusing member, a plurality of radially directed arms secured on said husk, each of said radial arms having a U shaped terminal portion, and a shade having an annular inverted channel associated with the top edge thereof, said shade being supported on said radially directed arms with the annular channel in engagement with the U shaped portions of said radial arms.

2. A fixture of the character described comprising a husk, means for suspending said husk, a plurality of arms secured to the walls of said husk and depending therefrom, a light diffusing member supported by said arms, a plurality of radially directed arms secured on said husk and carrying at their terminal portions an annular member, a shade having a plurality of inwardly directed lugs engageable with said annular member for supporting said shade thereon.

3. A xture of the character described comprising a socket having separable sections, a member having its inner portion secured between said sections, a plurality of equally spaced wire members permanently secured intermediate their lengths to the outer portion of said member, each wire member having a depending arm arranged angular-ly and downwardly below said member and an integral horizontal arm extending radially from said member; the extremities of the depending arms having hook portions and supporting a diffuser; the extremities of the radial arms extending outwardly beyond the extremities of the depending arms, and av shade supported at its upper periphery by the extremities of the radial arms and inclosing the Wire members and diffuser.

JOSEPH TERR. 

